James Robertson's New Car to Help His Faithful Trek to Work

After his story of walking 21 miles to work and back in Detroit warmed the heart of the nation, James Robertson is getting a new car – a 2015 Ford Taurus – thanks to a website started for him that reportedly has raised more than $300,000.

Robertson's act of determination and Evan Leedy's act in helping out a complete stranger with online donations will be featured on ABC's "World News Tonight" as "Person of the Week," reported the Detroit Free Press.

Leedy, 19, a student at Wayne State University, started a GoFundMe website for Robertson, 56, after reading a Free Press article about Robertson's plight. Local banker Blake Pollock discovered Robertson making his daily trek one day and shared the story with the newspaper.

"I think it's a great story," said Pollock, an investment banker in Troy, Michigan. "And I think it's kind of cool that someone else is telling it for me. I've never picked up a hitchhiker in my life. I don't really think I did anything all that amazing. I was curious."

At Suburban Ford of Sterling Heights dealership where Robertson will be getting a fully loaded 2015 Ford Taurus, manager Jim Elder told the Free Press how hard it was getting his employees to work while Robertson has never been late in a decade of perfect attendance.

"There's nobody who deserves it more than him," said Elder.

More than 11,800 people have responded to Leedy's GoFundMe.com webpage, which had a modest goal of raising $25,000.

"This goal would help James get a nice vehicle along with a few months of insurance payments," Leedy wrote on the GoFundMe page. "Thank you everyone for helping James get back into a car."

The story has since gone viral and raised more than $309,000 in five days according to the latest figures on Friday.

"I don't know what to tell you," Robertson said in a Free Press video about the donations. "You guys are the heroes. Attitudes have got to change because Detroit is one of the greatest cities ever when it comes to giving. Forget Los Angeles. Detroit is the real City of Angels. … I never really expected this type of support."
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After his story of walking 21 miles to work and back in Detroit warmed the heart of the nation, James Robertson is getting a new car – a 2015 Ford Taurus – thanks to a website started for him that reportedly has raised more than $300,000.